While Adam is AWOL on a cross-country road trip, sculptor Tom Sachs joins Simone and Will for a wide-ranging conversation about The Space Program, becoming an astronaut, discovering your calling, and the Mentat mantra.
How Virtual Humans Learn Emotion and Social Intelligence
At USC ICT’s Virtual Humans lab, we learn how researchers build tools and algorithms that teach AI the complexities of social and emotional cues. We run through a few AI demos that demonstrate nuanced social interaction, which will be important for future systems like autonomous cars.
Shot by Joey Fameli and edited by Tywen Kelly
Music by Jinglepunks
Episode 364 – More Ludicrous Than Ever – 8/25/16
Adam Savage Meets a Weebo Animatronic Robot!
When Adam was building practical props and effects for films, he worked on stunt Weebo robots for the Robin Williams comedy Flubber. Years later, prop maker Ed Zarick visits the cave with his own mechanized Weebo, an impressive feat of replica prop building!
Shot and edited by Tywen Kelly
Music by Jinglepunks
Hands-On with Shaper Origin Handheld CNC Router!
This is super cool: a handheld CNC router that uses computer vision to let you see exactly what you’re cutting through the bit, and compensates for any shaky hand movement with automatic stabilization. We visit Shaper to learn about the Origin and test out its features!
Camping and Flight Lessons – Still Untitled: The Adam Savage Project – 8/23/16
Digitizing Photorealistic Humans Inside USC’s Light Stage
We learn how actors are digitized and turned into photorealistic models inside USC ICT’s Light Stage capture system. Paul Debevec and his team at the Graphics Lab are focused on inventing technologies that create the most realistic-looking virtual people, objects, and environments. We were blown away by the capabilities of the light stage!
Shot by Joey Fameli and edited by Adam Isaak
Music by Jinglepunks
Weathering Techniques for Cosplay Costumes
Making new fabrics look old and weathered is a practiced art. Doug Stewart has been working on costumes for film productions for over two decades. We chat about his work as a specialty costume maker and get a demo of his weathering process for costumes used at this year’s E3.
Shot by Joey Fameli and edited by Tywen Kelly
Music by Jinglepunks
Tested Tours VR Projects at USC’s Mixed Reality Lab
At USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies, computer scientists and engineers have been tinkering with virtual reality, augmented reality, and everything in between. We’re given a tour of ICT’s Mixed Reality Lab, where projects explore the intersections of VR and accessibility, avatars, and even aerial drones.
